Top 20 - Punt Return Average
There are many ways in which a player's success in the NFL is measured. One of the most obvious and easiest yardsticks to use are statistics. Each week during the NFL's regular season we've provided updated Top 20 lists for four main statistical categories. Now, with the help from Elias Sports Bureau, we are rolling out our expanded season's end lists so you can compare today's stars with the greatest of all-time. Tomorrow: Top 20 Scoring (TDs)
| Punt Return Average (at start of 2012 NFL Season) | |||||
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1 | Devin Hester | 12.88 |
Career Notes: Season at a glance: Single-Season NFL Record: Herb Rich, Baltimore Colts (23.0 average - 12 returns for 276 yards in 1950)
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| 2 | George McAfee* | 12.78 | |||
| 3 | Jack Christiansen* | 12.75 | |||
| 4 | Claude Gibson |
12.55 | |||
| 5 | Bill Dudley* | 12.22 | |||
| 6 | Rick Upchurch | 12.13 | |||
| 7 | Roscoe Parrish | 12.01 | |||
| 8 | Eddie Royal | 11.94 | |||
| 9 | Desmond Howard | 11.86 | |||
| 10 | Billy Johnson | 11.76 | |||
| 11 | Mack Herron | 11.69 | |||
| 12 | Bill Thompson | 11.55 | |||
| 13 | Darrien Gordon | 11.47 | |||
| 14T | Santana Moss | 11.32 | |||
| 14T | Henry Ellard | 11.31 | |||
| 16 | Rodger Bird | 11.31 | |||
| 17 | Bosh Pritchard | 11.28 | |||
| 18 | Ted Ginn | 11.21 | |||
| 19T | Terry Metcalf | 11.14 | |||
| 19T | Jermaine Lewis | 11.13 | |||
Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears is now the all-time leader in punt return average after his performance in 2011, Hester also set the NFL's all-time record for punt returns for touchdowns with 11.